Creamy Collagen Fish Soup {GF}

March 31, 2016

I’m BIG! on fish soup, I eat any version of it; clear or milky with fish slices, a dash of ginger, sometimes bitter gourd, with tofu and tomatoes, with noodles or rice – it’s all good.

Health wise, here’s why I’m a fish soup enthusiast! If you are looking for an affordable quick cooking stock – fish is the way to go, of late, the price of grass fed beef bones seem to be constantly on the rise.

Fish is simply brain food, high in DHA and EFA and omega-3 fatty acids these are very important nutrients for our body. Fish soup/stock is also full of gelatin (converted collagen from the fish) which helps nourish the digestive tract and also the largest organ in our body – our skin. And finally, there is a possibility that the thyroid gland in the fish head, can help with thyroid support once simmered into the fish soup.

If thyroid support is one of your concerns, you can read more about this in the book, Finally The Truth About Women’s Health Care, by Kathy Smiley. She outlines one of Dr. Royal Lee’s theories, on thyroid replacement therapy – he had hypothesised that; one way of treating an under functioning thyroid is to consume the parts of the animal that corresponds to the compromised organs/glands. The nutrition in the organs/glands once taken, will go to the corresponding parts and give renewed energy and function to the body.

Mastering the cook of a glorious fish soup, takes some work – so let’s get to it! The end reward is so satisfyingly good; this creamy collagen rich fish soup is brain and skin food, remember not to add in any dairy milk for colour or extra flavour! You won’t need to because I’m sharing with you the secret of getting a perfectly milky soup – it lies in the treatment of the fish bones and heat control during the cooking process.

Washed fish bones! Make sure no blood stains remain for a beautiful stock…

Flour and season your fish bones carcass

Fry up your ginger slices till ohh so fragrant!

Add in your fish carcass

For even browning make sure you turn your fish, don’t get lazy now…

Add your water at this point

Add in dried anchovies, peeled garlic, sliced onions now

Prepare your other ingredients

Make your fried shallots and shallot oil

After the 1.5 hours of cooking sieve out the fish carcass and other ingredients to get your creamy collagen fish stock

Slice and marinate your fish

Cook your fish in small portions please

Cooked fish should be firm and in neat stacks, if it’s separated into many little pieces it’s been in hot soup for too long!

Show us your creamy collagen fish soup at #taystesg

Creamy Collagen Fish Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

500g of fish bone carcass including fish head

fish bone carcass seasoning: generous sprinkle of plain flour (choose rice flour if you have gluten sensitivities) and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper

Instructions

Cooking the fish soup

Get the freshest fish (some options are: threadfin…my choice!, batang, red grouper, barramundi) and the best quality fish bones you can get your hands on. The best places to get fish bones are from your local fish monger or nearby supermarket.

Caramelise your fish bones, turn to make sure browning is even, this may take a while. Don’t give up…it’s important for the flavour of the soup stock!

Add your water till it covers the fish bones. Add the other flavouring ingredients; small dried anchovies, peeled garlic pieces and sliced onion. I used unsalted Japanese dried baby anchovies bought from the dried goods section in the local chinatown market.

Turn up the heat. Boil for 1.5 hours on medium high heat, it should be a rolling boil and not a slow simmer to get your soup to a milky, creamy colour. Keep topping up with water during the cooking process, if the soup stock reduces so much that you can clearly see the fish carcass. The soup quantity should just cover the fish bone carcass.

Tayste Tips

To see how fresh your fish is look at the quality of the eyes (are they bright or sunken?) and the gills inside the head (are they blood red or dark?). Bright eyes and blood red gills are good signs the fish is fresh!

For larger parties or families, this recipe can be easily doubled.

If you wish to cook fish stock in advance and store it in the freezer for a quick fish soup or other seafood based dishes, the stock will keep for up to 3 months in the deep freezer.